Speech #470031738

To that amendment I desire to speak for at moment. The original draft of this bill as introduced by myself declared in the first section that the imnigration of Chinese as described therein "is hereby declared to be unlawful. and is suspended and prohibited until otherwise provided by law." The committee in considering this particular clause of the section came to the conclusion that that in some measure contravened that clause of the treaty which declared that the United States might suspend immigration but not absolutely prohibit it. and therefore it was suggested. I believe by the Senator from Vermont. or at any rate by some member of the committee. that fixing a term for which this immigration might be suspended would relieve it from that objection. The question then came up on the length of time which would be thought reasonable for this suspension. and after a very elaborate discussion we came to the conclusion. perhaps not unanimously. that twenty years would be a reasonable term. I contended. and would contend now if it were an original question. for a longer term than that.